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NASA TV Schedule

NASA TV’s PUBLIC, MEDIA CHANNELS TRANSITIONING TO HD 
 
Beginning Feb. 17, 2012, NASA Television’s Public (101) and Media (103) channels will transmit their 
respective content in high definition. NASA Television’s Public Channel, the "NASA TV" most often 
carried by cable and satellite service providers, provides digital coverage of NASA missions and events, 
plus documentaries, archival and other special programming. NASA TV’s Media Channel provides 
mission coverage, news conferences and relevant video and audio materials to local, national and 
international news-gathering organizations. NASA TV’s Education Channel (102) will continue in 
standard definition, while the current NASA TV HD Channel (105) will cease service.
For complete NASA TV downlink information, visit: www.nasa.gov/nasatv .
 
 
NASA TV VIDEOFILE/AUDIOFILE RUNDOWN for Thursday, February 9, 2012 – 9:00am
 
Media Channel (#103) 4 - 8 and 9 - 11 a.m.; 12 - 3, 4 - 7, 8 - 9 and 10 p.m. - 3 a.m.
Public Channel (#101) 4 - 7 and 9 - 10 a.m.; 12 - 1, 6 - 7, and 10 - 11 p.m.
 
(All times Eastern)
 

ITEM 1 - NEW VIEWS SHOW OLD NASA MARS LANDERS – JPL (REPLAY)

In January 2012, the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars 
Reconnaissance Orbiter recorded a scene including the lander that NASA's Mars rover Spirit drove off 
in 2004 and another scene showing NASA's 2008 Phoenix lander after its second Martian arctic winter.

TRT: 1:28
Edited B-roll RT: 54

Super: NASA/JPL/Univ. of Arizona
Center Contact - Guy Webster, 818-354-6278
HQ Contact – Dwayne Brown, 202-358-1726

For more information: http://www.nasa.gov/mro

Slug – New Views Show Old NASA Mars Landers 

Edited B-roll:

1)	The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera color image from orbit in 
January 2012. The picture shows Spirit's lander as a small, bright feature southwest of 
Bonneville Crater, dissolve to image of the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit’s lander taken by 
Spirit shortly after it drove off its platform in January 2004.

2)	The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera view showing Mars 
Phoenix and its surroundings on far-northern Mars in January 2012, fade to image of NASA 
Mars Phoenix taken in 2008 by its own onboard camera.

3)	Animation of NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter


RT: 54
Super: NASA/JPL/Univ. of Arizona

Center Contact - Guy Webster, 818-354-6278
HQ Contact – Dwayne Brown, 202-358-1726

For more information: http://www.nasa.gov/mro



ITEM 2 - TEST VERSION OF NASA'S ORION SPACECRAFT ENDS ITS CROSS-COUNTRY JOURNEY AT KENNEDY SPACE CENTER – KSC (REPLAY)

A test version of NASA's Orion spacecraft completed a cross-country journey at NASA's Kennedy 
Space Center in Florida on Feb. 8, after giving residents in three states the chance to see a full scale 
mockup of the craft that will take humans into deep space. The capsule will be stored in Kennedy's 
Multi-Payload Processing Facility.

The test vehicle was used by ground crews in advance of the launch abort system flight test that took 
place in New Mexico in 2010.

TRT: 4:10
Center Contact-  Amber Philman, 321-867-2468 
HQ Contact-Mike Braukus, 202-358-1979

For more information- http://www.nasa.gov/exploration



ITEM 3 – NASA'S CHANDRA FINDS MILKY WAY'S BLACK HOLE GRAZING ON ASTEROIDS – CXC (REPLAY)

Synopsis:             

The giant black hole at the center of the Milky Way may be vaporizing and devouring asteroids, which 
could explain frequent flares observed from the black hole, according to astronomers using data from 
NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. If confirmed, this result may mean that there is a cloud around the 
black hole containing trillions of asteroids and comets.

Credits: NASA/CXC
TRT: 2:51
HQ Contact: Trent Perrotto, 202-358-0321
Center Contact: Janet Anderson, 256-544-6162
CXC Contact: Megan Watzke, 617-496-7998

For more info: www.nasa.gov

Item 1: Chandra Image of Environment Around Milky Way's Black Hole 

Over several years, astronomers have noticed flares in X-ray light of the black hole at the center of the 
Milky Way known as Sagittarius A*, or Sgr A* for short. NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory detected 
these flares during intermittent observations that the telescope makes of the black hole. A new study 
suggests that these flares may occur when the black hole consumes an asteroid at least 12 miles wide. 
This image contains nearly a million seconds of Chandra observing of the region around Sgr A*, with 
red representing low-energy X-rays, green as medium-energy X-rays, and blue being the highest. 

Credits: NASA/CXC
HQ Contact: Trent Perrotto, 202-358-0321
Center Contact: Janet Anderson, 256-544-6162
CXC Contact: Megan Watzke, 617-496-7998

For more info: www.nasa.gov
----------

Item 2: Artist's Illustrations of Asteroid Path to Black Hole

If an asteroid passes too close to another object such as a star or planet, it can be thrown into an orbit 
headed towards Sgr A*, as seen in this series of artist's illustrations. Once the asteroid passes within 
about 100 million miles of the black hole, it is torn into pieces by the black hole's tidal forces. These 
fragments are vaporized by friction as they pass through the hot, thin gas flowing onto Sgr A*. This is 
what produces the X-ray flare, and eventually the remains of the asteroid are swallowed by the black 
hole.


Credit: NASA/CXC/M. Weiss
HQ Contact: Trent Perrotto, 202-358-0321
Center Contact: Janet Anderson, 256-544-6162
CXC Contact: Megan Watzke, 617-496-7998

For more info: www.nasa.gov
-----------

Item 3: Chandra Spacecraft Animation

This artist's conception begins with the Chandra X-ray Observatory as it passes in front of the Moon. 
Chandra, one of NASA's "Great Observatories," does not orbit closely around the Earth. Its highly 
elliptical orbit takes it as far as one-third the distance to the Moon. Operating in space since 1999, 
Chandra detects and images X-ray sources that lie within our solar system and those billions of light 
years away.

Credit: NASA/CXC/D. Berry
HQ Contact: Trent Perrotto, 202-358-0321
Center Contact: Janet Anderson, 256-544-6162
CXC Contact: Megan Watzke, 617-496-7998

For more info: www.nasa.gov



ITEM 4 - NASA MISSION TAKES STOCK OF EARTH’S MELTING LAND ICE – JPL (REPLAY)

In the first comprehensive satellite study of its kind, a University of Colorado Boulder-led team used 
NASA data to calculate how much Earth’s melting land ice is adding to global sea level rise. Using 
satellite measurements from the NASA/German Aerospace Center Gravity Recovery and Climate 
Experiment (GRACE), the researchers measured ice loss in all of Earth’s land ice between 2003 and 
2010, with particular emphasis on glaciers and ice caps outside of Greenland and Antarctica. The total 
global ice mass lost from Greenland, Antarctica and all Earth’s glaciers and ice caps over the period 
studied was about 4.3 trillion tons (1,000 cubic miles), adding about 12 millimeters (0.5 inches) to global 
sea level. That’s enough ice to cover the United States 1.5 feet (0.5 meters) deep. 

TRT: 5:34
Edited B-roll RT:  2:01
Interview Excerpts RT: 2:45

Center Contact – Alan Buis, 818-354-0474
HQ Contact – Steve Cole, 202-358-0918

For more information: http://www.csr.utexas.edu/grace/ and http://grace.jpl.nasa.gov/ 


SLUG – NASA Mission Takes Stock of Earth’s Melting Land Ice

Edited B-roll: 
1)	Movie showing glacier locations around the world, followed by a fade to the GRACE data 
showing recent trends in ice mass loss/gain. 
2)	Trends in ice mass loss/gain over Greenland and Antarctica, as measured by GRACE.
3)	GRACE data showing trends of ice mass loss/gain over the high Asia mountain ranges.
4)	Animation of GRACE spacecraft orbiting Earth

RT:  2:01
Super: NASA/GSFC
Center Contact – Alan Buis, 818-354-0474
HQ Contact – Steve Cole, 202-358-0918

For more information: http://www.csr.utexas.edu/grace/ and http://grace.jpl.nasa.gov/


SLUG – NASA Mission Takes Stock of Earth’s Melting Land Ice

Interview Excerpts:

Super:

Tom Wagner 
Cryosphere Program Scientist 
NASA Headquarters, Washington

Michael Watkins
GRACE Mission Project Scientist 
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.

RT:  2:45
Center Contact – Alan Buis, 818-354-0474
HQ Contact – Steve Cole, 202-358-0918

For more information: http://www.csr.utexas.edu/grace/ and http://grace.jpl.nasa.gov/



ITEM 5 – STATION CREW FIELDS QUESTIONS FROM YOUTUBE VIEWERS – JSC (REPLAY)

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 30 Commander Dan Burbank of NASA and NASA 
Flight Engineer Don Pettit answered questions submitted on YouTube about life and work on the 
orbital laboratory during an in-flight event on Feb. 8.

TRT: 14:26
Super: NASA
Center Contact: Rob Navias, 281-483-5111 
HQ Contact: Joshua Buck, 202-358-1100 
For more info: www.nasa.gov/station



ITEM 6 - ASTRONAUT JANICE VOSS DIES – JSC (REPLAY)

NASA astronaut Janice Voss passed away from cancer overnight after a lengthy battle. One of only six 
women who have flown in space five times, Voss’ career was highlighted by her work and dedication 
to scientific payloads and exploration. Voss began her career with NASA in 1973 while a student at 
Purdue University. She returned to NASA in 1977 to work as an instructor, teaching entry guidance and 
navigation to space shuttle crews. After completing her doctorate in 1987, she worked within the 
aerospace industry until she was selected as an astronaut in 1990. Voss spent more than 49 days in 
space over five space shuttle flights.

TRT: TBD
Super: NASA
Center Contact: Nicole Cloutier-Lemasters, 281-483-5111 
HQ Contact: Michael Curie, 202-358-1100 
For more info: http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/voss-jan.html



ITEM 7 - MARS BOUND NASA ROVER CARRIES COIN FOR CAMERA CHECKUP – JPL (REPLAY) 

The camera at the end of the robotic arm on NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has its own calibration target, 
a smart-phone-size plaque that looks like an eye chart supplemented with color chips and an attached 
penny.  When Curiosity lands on Mars in August, researchers will use this calibration target to test 
performance of the rover's Mars Hand Lens Imager, or MAHLI. MAHLI's close-up inspections of 
Martian rocks and soil will show details so tiny, the calibration target includes reference lines finer than 
a human hair. This camera is not limited to close-ups, though. It can focus on anything from about a 
finger's-width away to the horizon. 

TRT: 3:12
Edited B-roll RT:  32
Interview Excerpts RT: 1:09
Additional B-roll: 30
Center Contact – Guy Webster, 818- 354-6278
HQ Contact – Dwayne Brown, 202-358-1726

For more information: http://www.nasa.gov/msl

SLUG – Mars-Bound NASA Rover Carries Coin for Camera Checkup

Edited B-roll: 

1)	Calibration targets for contact instruments on Curiosity.
2)	Calibration target for Mars Hand Lens Imager on Curiosity.  
3)	Lincoln penny that is aboard Curiosity.


RT:  32
Super: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Center Contact – Guy Webster, 818- 354-6278
HQ Contact – Dwayne Brown, 202-358-1726

For more information: http://www.nasa.gov/msl

SLUG – Mars-Bound NASA Rover Carries Coin for Camera Checkup

Interview Excerpts:

Ken Edgett
MAHLI Principal Investigator
Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego
RT:  1:09
Super: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Center Contact – Guy Webster, 818- 354-6278
HQ Contact – Dwayne Brown, 202-358-1726

For more information: http://www.nasa.gov/msl

SLUG – Mars-Bound NASA Rover Carries Coin for Camera Checkup

Additional B-roll: 

Launch of the Mars Science Laboratory from Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Nov. 26, 2011.

RT:  30
Super: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Center Contact – Guy Webster, 818- 354-6278
HQ Contact – Dwayne Brown, 202-358-1726

For more information: http://www.nasa.gov/msl



ITEM 8 - ASTRONAUT DON PETTIT SHARES PASSION FOR SCIENCE FROM SPACE – JSC (REPLAY)

Using everyday items from Earth, NASA astronaut and Expedition 30 crew member Don Pettit hopes 
to share fascinating space physics with people around the world through “Science off the Sphere.” 
NASA has partnered with the American Physical Society to share the unique videos with students, 
educators and science fans. 
 
TRT - 6:43
Super(s) – NASA
Center Contact – Rachel Kraft, 281-483-5111
HQ Contact – Joshua Buck, 202-358-1100
For more info: http://www.nasa.gov/station 
 


ITEM 9 - NASA TV’s PUBLIC AND MEDIA CHANNELS TRANSITIONING TO HD – HQ (REPLAY)
 
Beginning Feb. 17, 2012, NASA Television’s Public and Media channels will transmit their respective 
content in high definition. 
 
NASA Television’s Public Channel (101), the channel most often carried by cable and satellite service 
providers, provides digital coverage of NASA missions and events, as well as documentaries, archival 
and other special programming. This channel will be in HD MPEG-2 format at 15.877Mbps.
 
NASA TV’s Media Channel (103) provides mission coverage, news conferences and relevant video and 
audio materials to local, national and international news-gathering organizations. This channel will be in 
HD MPEG-4 format at 15.409Mbps. 
 
NASA TV’s Education Channel (102) will continue in standard definition MPEG-2 format at 7.409Mbps.

The current NASA TV HD Channel (105) will cease service.  
 
NASA Television is available in continental North America, Alaska and Hawaii on Satellite AMC-18C.  A 
Digital Video Broadcast (DVB) compliant Integrated Receiver Decoder (IRD) is needed for reception. 
For complete NASA TV downlink information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv.


TRT: 6:27
Super: NASA
HQ Contact;  Fred Brown, 202-358-0713
For more information:  http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv



ITEM 10 - DAWN TEAM RELEASES NEW IMAGES OF ASTEROID VESTA - JPL (NEW)
 
New images of the asteroid Vesta have been captured by NASA’s Dawn mission. Dawn seeks to 
characterize the conditions and processes of the solar system's earliest years by investigating, in detail, 
two of the largest protoplanets remaining intact since their formations – Vesta and Ceres. The pair 
resides in the extensive zone between Mars and Jupiter, together with many other smaller bodies, 
called the asteroid belt. Dawn is currently mapping Vesta's surface in detail; scientists hope it will 
provide clues to its mineralogical composition. The spacecraft will also search for moons in Vesta's 
vicinity, and look for evidence of past volcanic activity.  Its framing cameras are regularly releasing 
images taken by its Framing Camera through its clear filter aboard the spacecraft. The framing camera 
has a resolution of about 280 yards (260 meters) per pixel. After leaving Vesta, the brightest asteroid, 
the Dawn spacecraft will proceed to Ceres, the largest asteroid, to collect more data.
 
This Dawn FC (framing camera) image shows numerous linear chains and clusters of small craters. 
These chains and clusters of craters were created by material that was ejected during the formation of 
a larger crater, which is located far outside of this image. These craters are called secondary craters 
because they are formed by material ejected from a primary impact of material from space. There is a 
large crater in shadow at the top left of the image. The chains and clusters do not originate from this 
crater because there are not orientated radially to it, as if they were ejected from the crater.  

This image is located in Vesta’s Gegania quadrangle and the center of the image is 20.8 degrees north 
latitude, 18.4 degrees east longitude. NASA’s Dawn spacecraft obtained this image with its framing 
camera on Dec. 13, 2011. This image was taken through the camera’s clear filter. The distance to the 
surface of Vesta is 196 kilometers (122 miles) and the image has a resolution of about 19 meters (62 
feet) per pixel. This image was acquired during the LAMO (low-altitude mapping orbit) phase of the 
mission. 
 
The Dawn mission to Vesta and Ceres is managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of 
the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, 
Washington D.C.. UCLA is responsible for overall Dawn mission science. The Dawn 
framing cameras have been developed and built under the leadership of the Max Planck Institute for 
Solar System Research, Katlenburg-Lindau, Germany, with significant contributions by DLR German 
Aerospace Center, Institute of Planetary Research, Berlin, and in coordination with the Institute of 
Computer and Communication Network Engineering, Braunschweig. The Framing Camera project is 
funded by the Max Planck Society, DLR, and NASA/JPL.
 
More information about Dawn is online at http://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov.
 
 
TRT 1:00
Super:  NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA
Center Contact: Jai-Rui C. Cook, 818-354-0850
HQ Contact: Dwayne Brown, 202-358-1726
For more info: http://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov

***************************************************
NASA AUDIOFILE (Downloads at: www.nasa.gov/audiofile)
****************************************************
NASA TV Daily Schedule
Watch NASA TV (Public, Media and Education Channels) on your computer using Flash, 
Windows and QuickTime, at http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html
NASA TV Schedules are available at http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/schedule.html.
During Space Shuttle Missions the Daily Schedule for NASA TV is available at 
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttletv
Getting NASA Television via Satellite:
Getting NASA Television via Satellite: NASA TV is on AMC-18C 
In the United States, NASA Television's Public, Education and Media channels are MPEG-2 
digital C-band signals, carried by QPSK/DVB-S modulation on satellite AMC-18C, transponder 
3C, at 105 degrees west longitude, with a downlink frequency of 3760 MHz, vertical 
polarization, data rate of 38.80 MHz, symbol rate of 28.0681 Mbps, and ľ FEC.  A Digital 
Video Broadcast (DVB) compliant Integrated Receiver Decoder (IRD) is needed for reception. 
 
NASA TV HD Programming: HD Program = 105/Compression Format = MPEG-2/Video PID = 
0x52 hex / 82 decimal/ MPEG-1 Layer II Audio PID=  0x53 hex / 83 decimal/ AC-3 Audio PID 
= 0xEE hex / 238 decimal. 
  
If you have problems receiving NASA TV Channels please call 202-358-0024 or 202-358-0309. 
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------
NASA TV Daily Schedule (All Programs Eastern Time Zone)
 
February 2012 

February 9, Thursday  
1 p.m. – Interview with Daniel Burbank Expedition 29/30 Crew Flight Engineer/Commander (43:58) – 
HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)
1:45 p.m. – Interview with Anton Shkaplerov Expedition 29/30 Crew Flight Engineer (39:51) – HQ 
(Public, HD and Media Channels) 
4 p.m. – Interview with Anatoly Ivanishin Expedition 29/30 Crew Flight Engineer (49:10) – HQ (Public, 
HD and Media Channels)
4:50 p.m. – Interview with Oleg Kononenko Expedition 30/31 Crew Flight Engineer/Commander (27:09) 
– HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)

February 13, Monday 
2 p.m. – NASA Budget News Conference – HQ (All Channels)

February 14, Tuesday 
6 a.m. – Replay of ISS Update Commentary Hour – HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels) 
7 a.m. – Interview with Expedition 28/29 Flight Engineer/Commander Michael Fossum (48:17) – HQ 
(Public, HD and Education Channels) 
8 a.m. – Interview with Expedition 26/27 Flight Engineer Catherine “Cady” Coleman Ph.D. (36:11) – HQ 
(Public, HD and Education Channels)
8:40 a.m. – Interview with Expedition 27/28 Flight Engineer Ronald Garan, Jr (40:13) – HQ (Public, HD 
and Media Channels)
9:20 a.m. – ISS Expedition 30 ESA In-Flight Event for European Broadcasters – JSC (Public, HD and 
Media Channels 
10:30 a.m. – Presentation by Expedition 26,27, 28 and 29 Crew Members  - HQ (Public, HD and 
Education Channels)  
11:30 a.m. – ISS Update Commentary Hour – JSC (Public, HD and Media Channels)  
12:30 p.m. – NASA Television Video File – HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels) 
2 p.m. – NASA Tweet Up with Ron Garan – HQ (Public, HD and Education Channels)
 
February 15, Wednesday
9:55 a.m. – ISS Expedition 30 Educational In-Flight Event with the Crayton Middle School in Columbia, 
S.C.  – JSC (All Channels)

February 16, Thursday 
8:45 a.m. - ISS Russian Spacewalk Coverage (Spacewalk is scheduled to begin at 9:15 a.m. ET)  – JSC 
(Public, HD and Media Channels) 
 
February 20, Monday 
1:30 p.m.- NASA Future Forum at The Ohio State University Opening – WOSU/HQ (Public, Media and 
Education Channels
2 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. – NASA Future Forum -- Learning from the Past to Innovate for the Future – 
WOSU/HQ (Public, Media and Education Channels)
3:30 – 4:45 p.m.  – NASA Future Forum -- Inspiration and Education Panel – Building the Innovators for 
Tomorrow – WOSU/HQ (Public, Media and Education Channels)

February 21, Tuesday 
9 a.m. – NASA Future Forum – WOSU/HQ (Public, HD and Education Channels)
9:45 – 11 a.m. – NASA Future Forum -- Importance of Technology, Science and Innovation for our 
Economic Future – WOSU/HQ (Public, Media and Education Channels) 
11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. – NASA Future Forum --Transferring and Commercializing Technology to Benefit 
our Lives and our Economy – WOSU/HQ (Public, Media and Education Channels) 
1:45 – 3 p.m. NASA Future Forum -- Shifting Roles for Public, Private and International Players in Space 
– WOSU/HQ (Public, Media and Education Channels)
3 p.m. – NASA Future Forum -- Wrap Up – WOSU/HQ (Public, Media and Education Channels)
 
February 23, Thursday
12:05 p.m. – Digital Learning Network ISS Mission Control Event – JSC (Public, Media and Education 
Channels)


-----------------------------------------------------------------------
NASA ON YOUR TV - ALL TIMES EASTERN

Tank on the Moon, Science Channel, February 9  7 a.m. ET
A hidden chapter is revealed in the story of the space race between the United States and the Soviet 
Union.

How Do They Do It? Science Channel, February 9  5:30 p.m. ET
The rockets that launch the space shuttle

American Chopper, Discovery, February 10  3 p.m. ET
The OCC crew travels to the Johnson Space Center for inspiration for a tribute bike to the space-
shuttle program.

American Chopper, Discovery, February 10  4 p.m. ET
A tribute to NASA and the Discovery astronauts

Moon Machines, Science Channel, February 12  6 a.m. ET
NASA engineers build the Apollo Command Module, a pressurized compartment designed to safely 
house astronauts on their voyage to the moon and back.

Moon Machines, Science Channel, February 12  8 a.m. ET
German rocket scientists and young American engineers work together to create the Saturn V rocket 
and overtake the Soviet Union in the space race.

American Restoration, History Channel, February 12  11:30 a.m. ET
Rick and his team restore a NASA helmet from the 1960s Gemini missions.

Naked Science, National Geographic, February 14  5 a.m. ET
NASA scientists, planet hunters and astronomers reveal emerging methods for finding Earth-like 
planets and alien life while looking ahead to the future.

Destroyed in Seconds, Green Channel, February 14  10 p.m. ET
NASA crashes a Boeing 720 via remote control to study accident prevention.


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